The Delhi High Court refused to grant bail to former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain in connection with the brutal killing of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna dismissed Hussain’s regular bail application filed in relation to FIR registered at Dayalpur Police Station, holding that the circumstances did not warrant his release on bail.
Hussain had earlier moved a similar bail petition in December last year but later withdrew it in February, reserving the right to approach the trial court. His subsequent plea was rejected by the trial court in March, observing that there was no substantial change in circumstances. Having spent over five years in judicial custody, Hussain once again sought relief from the High Court, which has now declined to grant bail.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Ankit Sharma’s father during the 2020 riots after his son went missing. Sharma, an IB officer, had left his residence in the evening to purchase household items but never returned. His body was later discovered in a drain near Chand Bagh Pulia, bearing multiple sharp and blunt force injuries. The post-mortem report documented 51 injuries, indicating a violent assault.
The prosecution alleges that Hussain, along with several co-accused, was involved in Sharma’s murder. The complainant expressed strong suspicion that his son was killed by Hussain and his associates amid the communal violence. Following investigations, a chargesheet was filed, and in March 2023, the trial court framed charges against Hussain and others under Sections 147, 148, 153A, 302, 365, 120B, 149, 188 and 153A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. Additional charges under Sections 505, 109 and 114 IPC were framed against Hussain, while co-accused Nazim also faces charges under Section 25 of the Arms Act.
The High Court, while rejecting the bail plea, noted the serious nature of the allegations and the gravity of the offence, underscoring that the evidence on record and the stage of trial did not justify the grant of bail at this stage.
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